Ford Excursion - I think I must have one! Comments welcome.

[Diamondpilot]

And I've owned 13 Ford trucks in a similar time period and never had an "axle problem", either, but that's not the issue. The issue is the limited slip for the most part don't work. How many trucks a person owns makes no difference. I'd trust a mechanic that works of Ford rears and drives a hyundai more than someone who owns a bunch of Ford trucks. All the Ford l/s rears that we've opened up on them in the past had clutch packs that were worn to the point that they didn't engage properly or would let go after engaging briefly well before 100K miles. Plus the hassle of adding friction modifiers to get them to work at the little that they do work.

If you knew how a Ford "limited slip" rear worked, you'd know that it relies on clutch packs to engage that only work in light off roading conditions. I replaced the limited slip rear in my last (2) Superduty 4x4's with Detroit soft lockers which greatly improved the performance of the rear axles in muddy spots. You'll see most serious Ford off roaders will do the same. My limited slips did little in test after test except lock occassionally on wet snow or grass only to let go again before getting unstuck. They are better than nothing, but not designed for much more than light off-roading.

Limited slip rears versus locking rears:

YouTube - Silverado vs. Tundra Twist Ditch

YouTube - Eaton Locking Differential Demonstration

YouTube - Difference btw. Locker and Limited Slip

Ford limited slip rebuild

Fun stuff:
YouTube - Dodge... limited slip
YouTube - Chevy vrs Ford 4x4

YouTube - SILVERADO VS A FORD F150

I will probably get in trouble for saying this but you spread so much crap and tell so many lies you are now starting to believe yourself. For example, that first video is such BS. The Eaton locker on Government Motor trucks is about the most rudimentary basic locker on the market. The Tundra come from the factory with a Full Electronic Locker, not some G80 that is automatic and disengages at around 25mph of wheel spin. The video was clearly biased and was not using a Locker Equipped Tundra. Trust me I have drive both and owned a G80 equipped Dura Junk and my Detroit Electronic Locker equipped Titan and there is no comparison. The Eaton G80 is better than nothing but does not compare at all with the electronic lockers that Ford, Nissan, and Toyota use. Dodge is the only manufacture that does not offer a locker, at least the last time I test drove one around December. Granted Ford does not offer a Locker in its SuperDuty line and should get on the ball.

You can quote all day long from brand specific info and it will always sway the way you want. I swear, you must crazy if you really believe 1/10th of the stuff you post Duke!

Funny thing is about 75% of the tow trucks, police cars, taxi cabs, and ambulances on the road are Fords. I really can not see how they keep them going with the rear ends dropping out, engines leaking at every seam, spark plugs flying left and right, ect, ect, ect. Do you see how foolish you look?

Sorry everyone for getting off topic but Duke (aka Builder) is miss leading. I am Ford Loyal when it comes to 3/4 and 1 ton Trucks. That is as far as it goes. My other vehicles are a Nissan and a GM. They were what was best for me and my Family. My extended family drives GM, Honda, Ford, Toyota, ect. We educate ourselves and buy what is right, not what some expert know it all one ups man like this guy tells us all about.


Chris

 

[ddivinia]

So - what does my Dodge 3500 have in it? I has always been awesome in the mud. I have had friends get stuck and I would hook their trailer to my Dodge and go right thru it.

D.

 

[Diamondpilot]

So - what does my Dodge 3500 have in it? I has always been awesome in the mud. I have had friends get stuck and I would hook their trailer to my Dodge and go right thru it.

D.

Your Dodge if factory has a Limited Slip Diff. They do not offer a Locker. You validate what I am saying. Limited Slip Diffs get most people through most stuff but even more important is the tires. I bought a new 2006 F-350 and it sucked in the mud and snow. The tires would clog up and turn to slicks. Put a set of BFG AT's on it and was a totally different truck. Kind of like putting it from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive all over again with just a tire change.

Chris

 

[ddivinia]

Cool - Yeah, I have BFG AT on my Dodge. It really rocks. My buddy in his new duramax Z71 was really embarrassed.

D.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Cool - Yeah, I have BFG AT on my Dodge. It really rocks. My buddy in his new duramax Z71 was really embarrassed.

D.

Yea, the F-350's tires were awful as were the 2005 Dmax 3500 I had. Believe my Dmax had junk also. Dry rotted out quick. I think they were Brigstone Durvas or something like that.

Chris

 

[ddivinia]

Factory tires have been junk on most of my trucks I have bought except my 99 F-150 4wd - they were pretty good. BFG AT make a huge difference.

 

[Ryan03]

So - what does my Dodge 3500 have in it? I has always been awesome in the mud. I have had friends get stuck and I would hook their trailer to my Dodge and go right thru it.

D.

I am not certain, but would be willing to bet that it is a Track Lock posi unit, As your truck has a Dana brand rear axle, and track lock is Dana's house brand, so to speak. This would be the same limited slip posi found on many Ford SD's . IMO, it is a good quality unit, some seem tighter than others, regardless of make and mileage, but my theory is that they like every thing else are mass produced on an assembly line, and some clutch packs are pre loaded on the tight side, while some are on the loose side. 98% of people will never use a limited slip hard enough to wish they had a locker. How long the Track loc last will depend on how you use it, rock crawling on the Rubicon trail every weekend will propably smoke the clutches in under a year, while driving down the road 99% of the time with minimal off road or peel outs will probably make it outlast the rest of the vehicle. My 99 SD had a trac lock that was loose from day one, but it still provided a tremendouse traction advantage over an open diff and was working just fine at 98k. It was in a Dana 80 {350 Dually}.

 

[Ryan03]

Yea, the F-350's tires were awful as were the 2005 Dmax 3500 I had. Believe my Dmax had junk also. Dry rotted out quick. I think they were Brigstone Durvas or something like that.

Chris

Mine came with decent Steel tex AT's on it back in 03 {Firestones}. I do agree that the tires on newer trucks realy suck. My opinion is the highway tread is an attemt to squeak out a little more MPG. Who ever specs these tires at the Corp head quarters must not drive in snow to much.

 

[SPYDERLK]

You are going to need more kids for an excursion.

 

[WH401]

I am not certain, but would be willing to bet that it is a Track Lock posi unit, As your truck has a Dana brand rear axle, and track lock is Dana's house brand, so to speak. This would be the same limited slip posi found on many Ford SD's . IMO, it is a good quality unit, some seem tighter than others, regardless of make and mileage, but my theory is that they like every thing else are mass produced on an assembly line, and some clutch packs are pre loaded on the tight side, while some are on the loose side. 98% of people will never use a limited slip hard enough to wish they had a locker. How long the Track loc last will depend on how you use it, rock crawling on the Rubicon trail every weekend will propably smoke the clutches in under a year, while driving down the road 99% of the time with minimal off road or peel outs will probably make it outlast the rest of the vehicle. My 99 SD had a trac lock that was loose from day one, but it still provided a tremendouse traction advantage over an open diff and was working just fine at 98k. It was in a Dana 80 {350 Dually}.

Dana was last in the Dodge's in 2002. Starting in 2003 the axles are all AAM's, same as the Chevy/GMC 3/4 and 1-ton's.